Demolition Of Lakewood Resort Timeshares Will Begin Before Christmas, Oasis Developer Says

LAKE OF THE OZARKS, Mo. — The developer of a $400 million entertainment complex at the Lake says the demolition of the Lakewood Resort timeshares on the site will begin before Christmas.

The Lakewood Resort timeshares sit in the middle of the project and created a challenge for the development team as they moved into excavation for the Oasis at Lakeport, which is planned for a phase-one opening in 2025 and includes amusement park rides, an indoor waterpark, and a Marriott-branded resort and conference center.

Developer Jeff Tegethoff tangled with the timeshare board through a process that involved multiple rounds of offers to buy the property outright. Eventually, Tegethoff's team was able to buy all of the resort's 2,548 timeshare deeds, so the buildings could be demolished.

Since early October, the project — once bustling with activity — has sat silent. Tegethoff explained in an interview with LakeExpo that until the timeshares came down, it was difficult to get much more work done.

In November, the developer allowed local charities to salvage materials from the buildings, with an estimated $1.5 million worth of items donated.

On Friday, Dec. 13, Tegethoff provided a brief update: "The DNR permit gets submitted next week with the asbestos test."

He added that track hoes and other demo equipment will start moving into place next week, with demolition on Lakewood Resort beginning before Christmas.